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Kenta stares at the plane ticket, the extra one that he'd asked Pete to get for him when he was paying for Minsu's.
He hadn't told anyone other than Pete about his plan.
But as he watches Minsu saying his goodbyes to the team, Kenta knows he needs to say something.
So, when they head to the car, leaving Dean in North and Sonic's capable hands, Kenta stops Minsu before he can open his own door.
"I need to tell you something," says Kenta quietly, hesitant because it's taken a lot of time to decide whether he wanted to do this or not.
"Okay, is everything alright?" asks Minsu softly as he tips his head to the side.
"Everything's fine, or well.. Maybe it's fine? I'm not really sure how you're going to see this. I think it might be crazy, on my part. Is this crazy?" Kenta tugs out the plane ticket that was carefully folded in his pocket and holds it up as the rambled response ends with one question.
"You're going to Japan?" asks Minsu softly, breathless as he stares at the ticket.
"Yeah, I— Pete helped me track down my family. They want to meet, and I— My mom is alive. She called, pleading with me to come for a visit," replies Kenta quietly as he steps forward, nerves making his hand shake until Minsu lifts his own to hold it, their eyes meeting. "I'm only supposed to stay a week, Chris is traveling with me because he apparently has decided that I need company. I didn't say no because he's been to Japan before, and I could use the help. But— Is this crazy, Minsu? Because I still don't know."
"I think crazy is something you're allowed to do," says Minsu softly, lips curving into a gentle smile as he looks at Kenta. "You're finally doing something for yourself, and I'm so fucking proud of you for it. It's a little crazy, but it's great, Kenta. So great. I hope you'll tell me all about it."
"I might blow your phone up about it," replies Kenta sheepishly as he looks at their hands. "You know I trust you the most because I know I'm safe with you."
"I know," Minsu's voice is quiet, eyes so soft that when Kenta looks into them, he feels like he's melting. "I'm glad that I get to be that person for you."
"Of course you are," murmurs Kenta as his lips curve into a gentle smile that feels unnatural on his face.
The quiet that follows only lasts for a few minutes, and Kenta snorts to break it when Minsu's phone rings and makes him jump.
"Shit, that's my alarm. I gotta get to the airport," whispers Minsu dejectedly, lips curved into a harsh frown that looks painful and wrong on his face. "Let me take you home first?"
"Yeah, I'd appreciate that," replies Kenta just as quietly as he squeezes the hand that hasn't left his own before he forces their hands to separate so they can climb into the car.
His own flight is in three hours, so Kenta has to finish packing and wait to be picked up by Pete and Chris.
But when he does leave the car, murmuring another goodbye to Minsu, Kenta can't help but feel like he'd just lost part of himself. Minsu waits for him to get into the apartment, Kenta sees the car leave from the balcony, watching until he loses track of it.
After he goes to Japan, he'll decide if he's returning home, or going to see Minsu and tell him about these feelings that have swelled in his chest.
But either way, he sends Minsu a reminder to let him know when he boards and when he lands, and even when he arrives to the condo he has there already.
Kenta's ready to live for himself, but the love he holds for Minsu is also living for himself. He chose to open his heart to the other man, and he'll be damned if he doesn't try to tell him soon.
Distance or not.